The termite mounds, which can take thousands of years to complete and reach almost 30 feet in width, are waste piles from a huge network of interconnected underground 'cities' that extends for many miles, according to scientists. Each termite is a shade over half an inch long and lives almost exclusively on fallen leaves from a single species of tree, though the specific tree species is unknown. The hard, dry, and comparatively infertile soil in the area is good for building and unattractive to farmers, with some mounds standing undisturbed for up to 4,000 years, though the exact dating methods are not specified.
Locals have known about the mounds for many centuries, but the sheer scale and remarkable regularity were only revealed comparatively recently after they were seen in satellite photos. Researchers note that each termite mound does not represent a separate colony because there is no aggression between termites from each mound and their immediate neighbours, but if termites are taken from their native mound and transplanted to one a few miles distant, a fight will inevitably break out. According to Daily Express - Main, Stephen Martin described how the termites' foraging strategy resembles a competitive race for resources, though how they coordinate construction without blueprints or leaders remains unclear.
I looked on Google Earth and realised they’re everywhere in this area, but I could find nothing about them online.
The ecological impact of these mounds on the local environment and biodiversity, as well as how they maintain structural integrity over millennia, are also not fully understood.
It’s like if all the supermarkets were open for one day a year — the person with the fastest car would get the most food.
You need a network of roads to get to the supermarket as quickly as you can because you’re in open competition with other colonies.